The New York Knicks are scheduled to tip it off with the Philadelphia 76ers tonight at 7 p.m. ET in Madison Square Garden, and the team will be without its high scoring wing, Bojan Bogdanovic, who was acquired in a trade from the Detroit Pistons at the trade deadline.
The news on Bogdanovic is a crushing blow to the Knicks' playing rotation and could lead to more scoring opportunities for Josh Hart, and extended playing time for Miles McBride and Precious Achiuwa.
The injury news came during a surprise roasting by Jalen Brunson of his father recently. The Knicks were also mentioned as a possible trade destination for one of the NBA's all-time greatest scorers.
On the final day of April, NBA reporter Shams Charania revealed the truth about Bogdanovic's season-ending injury setback.
Bogdanovic Done For the Season
Bogdanovic has provided incredible scoring punch for the Knicks off the bench since coming from Motown, but now other wing players will have to pick up the slack. Charania revealed that the man known as ‘Bogey' will undergo season-ending surgeries to repair his foot and wrist injuries. He is a free agent at the end of the season, calling into question whether or no the Knicks will bring him back.
“Celtics have the easiest path to the Finals in NBA history,” one fan said in response to the injury update.
“WE CAN'T CATCH A BREAK,” another fan added.
“Rest up…Huge piece the Knicks lost,” another said.
Bogdanovic's Solid Season
The 6-foot-7, 225 pound Croatia native Bogdanovic had a solid season until his injuries, averaging over 15 points per game on over 45 percent shooting. He scored 13 points in 25 minutes against the Sixers on April 20.
In Bogdanovic's stead, the Knicks will need to rely even more on Josh Hart for scoring and could perhaps find additional time for McBride and Precious Achiuwa. Hart has three 20-point efforts against the Sixers this series so far. Achiuwa is a former first-round pick who averaged nearly eight points during the regular season but has struggled to adjust during the playoffs scoring-wise, most recently scoring just one point in 20 minutes.
Miles McBride, meanwhile, has knocked down 10 three-pointers in his last four playoff games vs. the Sixers, showing plenty of promise as the guy who can fill in for Bogdanovic while providing deadeye three-point shooting in the process.